What knot to use.

[newsawtooth]

Thanks Uncle Buck, I'll send pics.

Look at that, I'm a senior member now. Thanks for the hep.

This place has never been confused with a meritocracy.

I use the wrench and over the shoulder lanyard technique like you demonstrated. On short ascents under 50' try just a foot ascender and then go hand over hand. For me, the hand ascender just gets in the way. Not enough room above the wrench and where my short arms can reach.

 

[smokey01]

This place has never been confused with a meritocracy.

I use the wrench and over the shoulder lanyard technique like you demonstrated. On short ascents under 50' try just a foot ascender and then go hand over hand. For me, the hand ascender just gets in the way. Not enough room above the wrench and where my short arms can reach.

I'll give that a try, I do find the more I climb the easier it gets with less equipment but I have a long way to go. Seems that without the hand ascender more attention could be or would be paid to the friction hitch as well, good idea. What about a back up connection to your climbing line or do you feel that the wrench and foot ascender are enough? Did you ever try the neck bungee? The lanyard seemed to be reasonable because you have that with you anyway. Do you use a hitch climber pulley? I really like how that stiffy pushes the wrench up the climbing line and keeps it out of the way of my hitch.
I do appreciate the suggestions.

 

[newsawtooth]

I'll give that a try, I do find the more I climb the easier it gets with less equipment but I have a long way to go. Seems that without the hand ascender more attention could be or would be paid to the friction hitch as well, good idea. What about a back up connection to your climbing line or do you feel that the wrench and foot ascender are enough? Did you ever try the neck bungee? The lanyard seemed to be reasonable because you have that with you anyway. Do you use a hitch climber pulley? I really like how that stiffy pushes the wrench up the climbing line and keeps it out of the way of my hitch.
I do appreciate the suggestions.

As far as a backup connection to the climbing line, the wrench and hitch are enough for me. Some redundancy couldn't hurt, but I work off a wrench and hitch so see little need to add another connection just for ascending. The foot ascender creates most of the progress while the wrench and hitch just capture it; so it ( foot ascender) really can't be considered a safe connection. I went straight to the over the shoulder lanyard as you noted, because I have it with me anyway. I'm using a hitch climber because I was using them with Ddrt and like the extra rigging points. I attach the over the shoulder lanyard to the hitch climber, the wrench is then just along for the ride. I'll probably get a pinto or fixe when I order the newest incarnation of the wrench. The inventor prefers the fixe. The stiff tethers are a good improvement, especially for ascending or tending slack. Shiny side up.

 

[smokey01]

As far as a backup connection to the climbing line, the wrench and hitch are enough for me. Some redundancy couldn't hurt, but I work off a wrench and hitch so see little need to add another connection just for ascending. The foot ascender creates most of the progress while the wrench and hitch just capture it; so it ( foot ascender) really can't be considered a safe connection. I went straight to the over the shoulder lanyard as you noted, because I have it with me anyway. I'm using a hitch climber because I was using them with Ddrt and like the extra rigging points. I attach the over the shoulder lanyard to the hitch climber, the wrench is then just along for the ride. I'll probably get a pinto or fixe when I order the newest incarnation of the wrench. The inventor prefers the fixe. The stiff tethers are a good improvement, especially for ascending or tending slack. Shiny side up.

I understand what you say about working with the wrench and so why have the extra just for ascent. That would probably be like putting a prusik above your descent device for a back up as well. Maybe too much redundancy can cause problems too.
I agree with you, the stiff tethers are a huge improvement.
I think this 10" Stiffy is a great idea and probably a better upgrade then the new wrench itself. In fact if I had that first, I may not have upgraded to the new wrench. I give the Stiffy 80% of the benefit of that upgrade. I have it set up with an inexpensive fixed plate pulley as it mostly just tends the slack. This saves a hitch climber pulley and a carabiner depending on how you have it set up. I tried the 7" CMI lanyard but that did not work as well and also required an extra carabiner with the hitch climber pulley. In fact a person could probably just wrap clear duct tape or something to that effect around the tether and get the same effect. Just would not look as cool.
Attached video with the Stiffy, it just makes it all move so much better. I find the length perfect as well.

[video=youtube;4k4Deos7WVE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k4Deos7WVE[/video]

 

[Customcuts]

[SUP][/SUP]

Well, it's us "gear junkies" buying all the stuff

[SUP][/SUP]

Well, it's us "gear junkies" buying all the stuff from the above sponsors that then pays this site that makes all this available to you.........you are welcome.
By the way, this new Rope Wrench and Stiffy is SO COOL, if you don't have one you are really missing out. :msp_biggrin:

Are u using the new stiff tether with a biner or do u hook it inline with your hitchcord eyes? Mine from wesspur will be here today and I'm going to try clipping it between the sideplates of my isc micro pulley then the eyes of my hitchcord on the outside of the sideplates with 1 biner going thru it all and hooking that biner to my saddle...... I'll post a pic after I get it setup. Just curious on how others are incorporating the stiff tether into the system...

 

[Customcuts]

Nevermind,

Nevermind, I just saw the video u posted... DOH!!

 

[smokey01]

View attachment 255487

[SUP][/SUP]

Are u using the new stiff tether with a biner or do u hook it inline with your hitchcord eyes? Mine from wesspur will be here today and I'm going to try clipping it between the sideplates of my isc micro pulley then the eyes of my hitchcord on the outside of the sideplates with 1 biner going thru it all and hooking that biner to my saddle...... I'll post a pic after I get it setup. Just curious on how others are incorporating the stiff tether into the system...

This is my set up, climbed on it yesterday and will climb with it today. Use a Distel and my lanyard over my shoulder to keep it above waist level. The Stiffy concept is the biggest improvement to the whole system.

 

[smokey01]

Nevermind, I just saw the video u posted... DOH!!

No problem, I had the picture from a prior post anyway.

 

[Customcuts]

View attachment 255487

This is my set up, climbed on it yesterday and will climb with it today. Use a Distel and my lanyard over my shoulder to keep it above waist level. The Stiffy concept is the biggest improvement to the whole system.

Exactly how I'm planning on using it, is that 30" beeline ?

 

[smokey01]

Exactly how I'm planning on using it, is that 30" beeline ?

Good to know, maybe I've got it right if that is what your planning.
It is a 26" 10mm Bee-Liine on a 11.7 mm Poison Ivy. I tried first with my kernmantle but I did not have the confidence that the hitch would engage EVERY TIME. I am liking that Poison Ivy though because you can use it for both SRT and DdRT. The HTP Static Kernmantle came with my climbing kit that I first bought so I want to keep using it, but I'll figure that out later.

 

[Customcuts]

Good to know, maybe I've got it right if that is what your planning.
It is a 26" 10mm Bee-Liine on a 11.7 mm Poison Ivy. I tried first with my kernmantle but I did not have the confidence that the hitch would engage EVERY TIME. I am liking that Poison Ivy though because you can use it for both SRT and DdRT. The HTP Static Kernmantle came with my climbing kit that I first bought so I want to keep using it, but I'll figure that out later.

I'll be climbing with safety blue (white) to start. Not sure how that's going to go though? I might just get some P.I too. I like the looks of it. And I'm going to get some armor prus for friction cord. Just piecing my gear together bit by bit. **** can get expensive fast. My friction cords are 30" I'm thinking they will be too long... Crap!

 

[smokey01]

I'll be climbing with safety blue (white) to start. Not sure how that's going to go though? I might just get some P.I too. I like the looks of it. And I'm going to get some armor prus for friction cord. Just piecing my gear together bit by bit. **** can get expensive fast. My friction cords are 30" I'm thinking they will be too long... Crap!

I got the 26 inch at the trade show in Portland Oregon after talking with Joe Harris about it, but at the time I was trying to make the 7" CMI lanyard work. You may be alright with the longer cord as the Safety Blue is 12.7mm or 1/2 inch as apposed to 11.7 for the Poison Ivy so you probably need it a little longer. I have some of the Safety Blue and it does feel bigger but also a little slicker as I think it is a Poly/Blend and the Poison Ivy is Polyester. The other thing is that the Blue Steak is 16 strand and I was told at the last conference I went to that it can have some problems with toothed ascendents, they said not to use it but I don't see why not if you are a little more careful and know to watch out for that. The 16 strand gets all of it's strength from the outside so that is important, I think the double braid shares the inside and outside for strength. Hope someone will correct me if I am wrong, but we talked about that at a Vermeer training day a few weeks ago here.
Maybe that will work out perfect with the armor prusik, I don't know anything about that except that I think I saw that advertised somewhere a while back and it seemed like a premium cord with high temp characteristics, but not sure.

 

[smokey01]

[SUP][/SUP]

Are u using the new stiff tether with a biner or do u hook it inline with your hitchcord eyes? Mine from wesspur will be here today and I'm going to try clipping it between the sideplates of my isc micro pulley then the eyes of my hitchcord on the outside of the sideplates with 1 biner going thru it all and hooking that biner to my saddle...... I'll post a pic after I get it setup. Just curious on how others are incorporating the stiff tether into the system...

How did it go? I would love to see how you set it up. There is a new thread for the ZR-2 and I put some video there. I'm pretty happy with the way it works for me. Would appreciate any suggestions or observations you may have.
Thanks

 

[Customcuts]

How did it go? I would love to see how you set it up. There is a new thread for the ZR-2 and I put some video there. I'm pretty happy with the way it works for me. Would appreciate any suggestions or observations you may have.
Thanks

I will be ordering a static climbline Monday, climbing srt on safety blue is like trying to climb a rubber band....:bang: but I am definitely happy with the new wrench works really good. I made a small lanyard that goes from a loop on the back of my harness to the tether on the RW to advance it as I climb. I made it out of 2 small non locking binders and a small piece of accessory cord. Descent is awesome, REALLY AWESOME:rocker:View attachment 255828

 

[smokey01]

I will be ordering a static climbline Monday, climbing srt on safety blue is like trying to climb a rubber band....:bang: but I am definitely happy with the new wrench works really good. I made a small lanyard that goes from a loop on the back of my harness to the tether on the RW to advance it as I climb. I made it out of 2 small non locking binders and a small piece of accessory cord. Descent is awesome, REALLY AWESOME:rocker:View attachment 255828

That looks awesome, the VT looks like it fits well. Yes, very very smooth. I don't have a lot of experience with DdRT using the same hitch I use with the RW but as apposed to the Unicender it is much smother, just a little more advanced I suspect.
How are you connecting your accessory cord to the RW? I see that it is really important that those lanyards don't get into or above the RW.
Just thinking though, if you are using an bungee type cord is should not be able to get anywhere funky on the wrench anyway.
I set up a connection to the Stiffy that I rather like, you should be able to see it following the link below.
I'm still working on getting the right split tail-hitch-HTP Sterling static line combination. I like the HTP because it only has 0.67% stretch as apposed to 4.50% (according to Sherrill Tree) but I just don't have the right combination yet.
Let me know if you find something that works. I think I need to look for the right eye-to-eye cord to get a secure friction on that HTP static.

http://www.arboristsite.com/commercial-tree-care-climbing/210351.htm

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[smokey01]

I will be ordering a static climbline Monday, climbing srt on safety blue is like trying to climb a rubber band....:bang:

Just thinking about the rubber band and rope stretch concept. I think what some guys experience, if mostly what they do is DdRT ands switch, is that when you take the same rope, (if it is rated for it) and use it SRT you get a lot more stretch. I have not seen data on this but if your weight is supported by two ropes or in this case the "doubled" rope (DdRT) the amount of weight applied for the stretch would be half, therefore, maybe half the stretch. So going from the same DdRT rope to using in SRT you feel maybe twice the stretch. This is probably obvious to experienced climbers but I have not read too much about this or the actual numbers when going from DdRT to SRT.
Maybe someone can enlighten me.
Food for thought also. I think once you are up in the tree and moving around working, you would want some stretch so if you take a little sink you don't get the shock loading you get from a static rope. For these reasons, I think there is some justification in ascending SRT with a static line but when you start working, use a more dynamic line whether you end up using the tail of your rope DdRT to move around or continue with the RW on the single line. Of course it all depends on the situation, how high is your TIP, how much will you be moving around in the tree, etc etc....

 

[jefflovstrom]

Just thinking about the rubber band and rope stretch concept. I think what some guys experience, if mostly what they do is DdRT ands switch, is that when you take the same rope, (if it is rated for it) and use it SRT you get a lot more stretch. I have not seen data on this but if your weight is supported by two ropes or in this case the "doubled" rope (DdRT) the amount of weight applied for the stretch would be half, therefore, maybe half the stretch. So going from the same DdRT rope to using in SRT you feel maybe twice the stretch. This is probably obvious to experienced climbers but I have not read too much about this or the actual numbers when going from DdRT to SRT.
Maybe someone can enlighten me.
Food for thought also. I think once you are up in the tree and moving around working, you would want some stretch so if you take a little sink you don't get the shock loading you get from a static rope. For these reasons, I think there is some justification in ascending SRT with a static line but when you start working, use a more dynamic line whether you end up using the tail of your rope DdRT to move around or continue with the RW on the single line. Of course it all depends on the situation, how high is your TIP, how much will you be moving around in the tree, etc etc....

I think we need a special room for you.
You could aid in this endeavor by starting a new thread.
Jeff

 

[Customcuts]

I think we need a special room for you.
You could aid in this endeavor by starting a new thread.
Jeff

Pick on someone ur own size Jeff.. haha.. u must have a thing for newbies